Hibs were relegated from the Scottish Premier League after losing a two-legged play-off against Hamilton, meaning both Edinburgh clubs and one half of the Old Firm will be in the second tier next season.

Rangers are the favourites to win the division, while Hearts are second favourites to go up from a league that only has two promotion places.

But the fact all three are in the same division could, Patey feels, provide a benefit in terms of increased gate revenues.

"In the normal chain of events you wouldn't have Rangers and you wouldn't have Hearts there so you'd have one Premier League club playing in a league with much lower attendances," he said.

"Actually having those clubs there will probably go a long way to, not totally, but partially compensating for the lost attendances compared to your average Premier League attendance."

Sky Sports pundit Neil McCann, who represented Hearts and Rangers during his playing career, feels the task facing Hibs manager Terry Butcher will be a substantial one regardless of the playing budget he is given.

"Terry Butcher has not only got a job on his hands to lift morale, he also has to rebuild the squad," he said.

"What finances is he going to be given in the Championship? Hearts don't want to be down there and Rangers don't want to be down there either.

"You throw Falkirk and Queen of the South, who had good seasons last season, into the mix and it's going to be a really tough league.

Readers' Comments

I

t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.